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From Frederick Starr to My Dear Father
[page 1]
Weston
March 19th 1855
My Dear Father,
I sent you in my last the circular of Stringfellow & Moore & the Citizens Meeting. A short time after the Citizens Meeting there appeared in the "Liberty Platform[,]" the dirtiest sheet in all this country, a paper owned & run by Judge Jim Thompson at Liberty[,] Clay County. Said Thompson is one of the greatest slaveholders in this part of the world having about 200 and he is as dishonest[,] mean and unprincipled as he is rich. This said Thompson was seen for some hours in close confab with Mr. Stringfellow at Platte City and the next week appeared the article. It makes greater admissions in reference to your humble servant than I deem just or true but still it may be the impression which has fixed itself upon the minds of the fire eating part of the community. If so I could not have it otherwise.
"Abolitionists in Weston.
We are firmly in the belief that there exists in the city of Weston, an organized society of Abolitionists, working under the colors of a "Union Party." We believe that this society has been in existence for several years, but not until recently has it grown to that strength which is calculated to excite the fears of slaveholders. We have been led to these conclusions by perusing the proceedings of the late "Citizens Meeting.["] Knowing the real object for which it was called--and looking back a few years at the course of certain leaders in that meeting.
We further believe that a Political Priest, by the name of Frederick Starr[,] is the leader of this gang. Look back a few months ago, at his industrious attempts to clear his colaborer [collaborator] Maj[.] Ogden of the charge of Abolitionism. See this same Parson, deserting his pulpit, to engage in a political gathering, composed principally of the lower class

On March 19, 1855, Frederick Starr writes from Weston, Missouri to his father. Starr transcribes a recent article from the local newspaper “Liberty Platform,” in which he is accused of being a “political priest” in charge of a “gang” of abolitionists. Starr believes the article makes unjust and false statements about him, but admits “it may be the impression which has fixed itself upon the minds of the fire eating part of the community. If so I would not have it otherwise.” The article also describes the nomination of Gen. Whitfield as the Kansas Territory delegate to Congress.

For more information on using this image, contact the Western Historical Manuscript Collection-Columbia at: 23 Ellis Library, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65201, Phone: (573)882-6028, E-mail: hirschg@umsystem.edu Publication, commercial use, or reproduction of this image or the accompanying data requires prior written permission from the Western Historical Manuscript Collection-Columbia. Use of this image also requires that credit be given to the Western Historical Manuscript Collection-Columbia.

From Frederick Starr to My Dear Father
[page 1]
Weston
March 19th 1855
My Dear Father,
I sent you in my last the circular of Stringfellow & Moore & the Citizens Meeting. A short time after the Citizens Meeting there appeared in the "Liberty Platform[,]" the dirtiest sheet in all this country, a paper owned & run by Judge Jim Thompson at Liberty[,] Clay County. Said Thompson is one of the greatest slaveholders in this part of the world having about 200 and he is as dishonest[,] mean and unprincipled as he is rich. This said Thompson was seen for some hours in close confab with Mr. Stringfellow at Platte City and the next week appeared the article. It makes greater admissions in reference to your humble servant than I deem just or true but still it may be the impression which has fixed itself upon the minds of the fire eating part of the community. If so I could not have it otherwise.
"Abolitionists in Weston.
We are firmly in the belief that there exists in the city of Weston, an organized society of Abolitionists, working under the colors of a "Union Party." We believe that this society has been in existence for several years, but not until recently has it grown to that strength which is calculated to excite the fears of slaveholders. We have been led to these conclusions by perusing the proceedings of the late "Citizens Meeting.["] Knowing the real object for which it was called--and looking back a few years at the course of certain leaders in that meeting.
We further believe that a Political Priest, by the name of Frederick Starr[,] is the leader of this gang. Look back a few months ago, at his industrious attempts to clear his colaborer [collaborator] Maj[.] Ogden of the charge of Abolitionism. See this same Parson, deserting his pulpit, to engage in a political gathering, composed principally of the lower class